Hong kong protests

Hong Kong protesters have piled the pressure on pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam with a series of huge demonstrations against a divisive bill to allow extraditions to mainland China.Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to China in 1997 but benefits from a "One Country, Two Systems" policy that allows it to retain certain key liberties, such as freedom of speech and an independent judiciary, until 2047.A push for democratic reforms saw unprecedented street protests in 2014, with demands for change reignited in February this year.Here is an overview:2003: NATIONAL SECURITY LAWSome half a million people marched against a controversial attempt by the government to introduce a national security law that critics feared would curtail free speech.The bill, which came after a deadly outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), was the first mass demonstration movement the city's pro-Beijing leaders had faced since the handover.It was eventually shelved, and set in process … [Read more...] about A history of massive Hong Kong protests

BEIJING -- Chinese state media remained largely silent as an estimated 2 million Hong Kong people took to the streets Sunday to protest an extradition bill, with social platforms scrubbed clean of any pictures or mentions of the rally. Hong Kong's government has been rocked in recent days by massive demonstrations -- and some violence -- which forced the city's embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam to indefinitely suspend passage of the bill. Early Monday, China's official Xinhua news agency issued a four-paragraph report noting suspension of the measure, "having regard to the strong and different views in society". Xinhua said Lam had apologized to the people and pledged to make improvements in serving them after "deficiencies" in the Hong Kong government's work "led to substantial controversies and disputes in society." The report made no mention of Sunday's protest in which crowds choked the streets of the financial hub, calling for Lam's resignation. Critics fear the Beijing-backed … [Read more...] about China stays mum as Hong Kong protests extradition bill

Flowers pile up for dead Hong Kong protester (Agence France-Presse) - June 16, 2019 - 3:28pm HONG KONG, China — Bouquets of white flowers, written tributes and origami cranes piled up Sunday outside a high-end Hong Kong shopping mall, where a young man plunged to his death protesting against a controversial extradition bill. The man had hung a banner off the roof of Pacific Place, which overlooks the site of violent clashes this week between police and demonstrators angry at a proposed law that would allow people to be sent to mainland China. A video circulating on social media shows the man falling from rooftop scaffolding as firefighters tried to grab him on Saturday evening. They clutch at his clothes and he slips through their hands, missing a jump raft that had been inflated on the ground below. He had unfurled a banner saying: "Entirely withdraw China extradition bill. We were not rioting. Release students and … [Read more...] about Flowers pile up for dead Hong Kong protester

HONG KONG: Protest organisers in Hong Kong announced plans for another mass rally for Sunday (Jun 16), a day after the city saw violent clashes between police and demonstrators over a divise extradition bill.The Civil Human Rights Front also called for a city-wide strike on Monday to keep pressure on the financial hub's government to scrap the proposed bill."We urge citizens to join labour strikes, school strikes and business strikes," said Jimmy Sham, the group's convenor. … [Read more...] about Hong Kong protesters vow to hold new mass rally on Sunday

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (Jun 12) he understands Hong Kong protesters who have risen up against plans to allow extraditions to China, but hopes they can "work it out" with Beijing."I hope they're going to be able to work it out with China," Trump told reporters at the White House, as Hong Kong was rocked by the worst political violence since its handover to China."I understand the reason for the demonstration," he said. "I hope it all works out for China and for Hong Kong."Trump's cautious response to what he said were "massive" demonstrations came as Washington and Beijing try to pick up the pieces of their collapsed talks on resolving a trade war."We're doing very well with respect to China," Trump said, referring to huge trade tariffs imposed on Chinese imports.Trump reiterated that he expects to meet President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit later this month."I have a feeling that we're going to make a deal with China," he said. … [Read more...] about Trump hopes Hong Kong protesters ‘work it out’ with China